A Nature Recovery Network will protect, join up and enhance the fragments of nature that remain – for people and wildlife.

For many years we've known that nature reserves alone are not enough for wildlife's recovery. Too often we've seen wildlife forced into fewer and smaller pockets of wild space, surrounded on all sides by urban development or intensive agriculture.

We need to start building a network of connected wild spaces across our landscape

A Nature Recovery Network, extending into every part of our towns, cities and countryside, will support nature’s recovery and bring wildlife and the benefits of a healthy natural world into every part of life.

It could be made up of hundreds or thousands of wild places across Sussex, of all shapes and sizes, with wildlife corridors and stepping stones to connect them all up.  Where these don’t already exist, we can identify opportunities for their creation so that wildlife can move freely and recolonise the landscape.

Putting wildlife on the map

Mapping out a Nature Recovery Network will show us where nature is, and where it should be.  

We want to see every local authority publish a Local Nature Recovery Map to identify where the greatest benefits for wildlife and people can be achieved.  

These maps should then be used to guide important decisions, like planning housing and development, and they will help to focus and co-ordinate effective action, funding and regulation.